KANSAS CITY (Interstat) — Missouri-Kansas City used a dominant first half to beat visiting Baker 120-40 in a women’s NCAA Division I non-divisional game Monday at Municipal Auditorium (K.C.) in Kansas City, Mo. The Kangaroos improved to 1-0 with the home victory. Attendance was 702. Baker was the visiting team and Missouri-Kansas City was the home team. Missouri-Kansas City’s team nickname is the Kangaroos.

Missouri-Kansas City set the tone early. Avery Strickland opened the scoring with a layup, and after Baker tied the game at 2 on Addison Tower’s floating jumper with 8:47 left in the first quarter, the Kangaroos took control. UMKC closed the quarter with a decisive run, turning the tie into a commanding lead. Emani Bennett sparked the surge with a layup, a free throw and a 3-pointer. Micaela Carter added a 3-pointer. Shiloh Kalenga hit a turnaround jumper and a layup, Bella Edwards made two 3-pointers, and Chrishawn Coleman closed the quarter with a floating jumper, a layup and a free throw. Avery Strickland also added a driving layup and a free throw. Baker got first-quarter baskets from Addison Tower, Amanda Tower and Kaylee Heinen and a free throw from Skyte Wilson. Corrine Cole made two free throws for Baker. Baker scored 8 points in the first quarter, 15 in the second, 8 in the third and 9 in the fourth.

UMKC kept extending the lead in the second quarter. Elauni Bennett opened the quarter with consecutive layups and scored repeatedly inside. Emani Bennett hit another 3-pointer, and Avery Strickland converted a tip-in. Shiloh Kalenga added a layup, Chrishawn Coleman made a 3-pointer, and Micaela Carter hit a 3-pointer. Amanda Tower scored a layup for Baker. Quinn Carpenter made two free throws and Nevaeh Leeks made two free throws for Baker. Micaela Carter made a free throw late in the half. The Kangaroos took a commanding halftime lead after a first half in which they repeatedly beat Baker’s defense inside and from beyond the arc.

The third quarter brought more of the same. Avery Strickland hit a 3-pointer and scored on a tip-in and a layup, while Elauni Bennett made several layups. Bella Edwards and Josie Megehee each made 3-pointers as UMKC pushed the lead further. Addison Tower made a 3-pointer and a jump shot for Baker, Rihanna Blanchard scored on a layup and made a free throw, Maddie Wilbeck made a 3-pointer, Avery Young scored on a tip-in and Gabby Rose made a layup. UMKC got a 3-pointer from Lili Szabo and a layup from Remi-Hope Drantmann in the third. Jayla Lewis made a pullup jumper and a jump shot, and Josie Megehee made a layup and a 3-pointer.

In the fourth, Gabby Rose opened with a layup for Baker, Josie Megehee made two free throws, Addison Tower made a 3-pointer for Baker, and Jayla Lewis answered with a floating jumper and a pullup jumper. Remi-Hope Drantmann made a layup for UMKC, Kimora Fagan made two layups, and Jayla Lewis added a layup. Alaina Schwisow made a jump shot for Baker, Lili Szabo made a 3-pointer, Kimora Fagan made a pullup jumper, Jayla Lewis made another layup, Masielie Peralta made a free throw for Baker, Josie Megehee made free throws, Lili Szabo made a layup and Josie Megehee made another free throw. UMKC finished with a 120-40 victory.

UMKC scored 120 points from 91 possessions, an offensive rating of 131.9. The Kangaroos finished with 22 offensive rebounds, 22 assists, six blocks and 14 turnovers. Elauni Bennett, a 5-foot-9 guard from Lees Summit, Mo., and a former Lee’s Summit North player, led UMKC with 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists in 16 minutes. Jayla Lewis had 12 points, three rebounds and three assists in 15 minutes. Emani Bennett, a 5-foot-11 guard and former Lee’s Summit North player, had 16 points, five rebounds, two assists and one block in 23 minutes. Shiloh Kalenga added six points, six rebounds, three assists and three blocks in 14 minutes. Avery Strickland had 14 points, three rebounds and five assists in 14 minutes. Chrishawn Coleman had eight points, three rebounds and one assist in 17 minutes. Bella Edwards had 12 points, two rebounds and three assists in 20 minutes. Josie Megehee had nine points, three rebounds and three assists in 15 minutes. Micaela Carter had seven points, three rebounds and two assists in 17 minutes. Remi-Hope Drantmann had four points, seven rebounds, one assist and two blocks in 11 minutes.

UMKC’s next 10 games, in order, are against Wichita State at home, at Arkansas, against Southeast Missouri State at home, at New Mexico State, at UTEP, against Missouri State in Kansas City, at Nebraska, against Park (MO) at home, at Austin Peay and at Kansas. No point spread, over-under or game-simulator projection was provided.